Household coping strategies for food insecurity during droughts in northern Namibia

As droughts grow more frequent and severe, understanding how households respond to food insecurity is essential for shaping effective humanitarian and adaptation programs. Based on a household survey of 730 respondents across four regions in northern Namibia, this study explores who experiences food insecurity, the coping strategies households use to manage drought, and how these strategies relate to household characteristics and perceptions of future risk. The survey collected information on household demographics, income sources, access to food aid, and food security status one year after a drought along with coping strategies used to manage drought and food shortages, and perceptions of future food insecurity risk, which were analyzed using descriptive statistics. One year after the most recent drought, 42% of households reported experiencing food insecurity. The most common drought coping strategies were diversifying income (24%) and borrowing money (14%). Households with lower incomes, agricultural livelihoods, and female heads were more likely to experience hunger. Drought coping patterns varied by region with nearly half of respondents in Ohangwena Region (primarily subsistence agriculture) reporting use of at least one coping strategy, compared to 13% in Kunene (arid region with primarily pastoralists). Fear of future food insecurity was widespread, regardless of current food security status or coping strategy use; however, receipt of food aid was associated with lower household hunger. These findings indicate that many households are already taking action to manage drought impacts, yet the effectiveness of these strategies remains uncertain. Rather than applying generic drought solutions, humanitarian and development investments in drought-prone settings should build on existing community practices that are associated with positive outcomes and target those who are most vulnerable. For example, a small percent of households were actively engaging in resource conservation; these practices could be shared and replicated by other households.